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Fear of heights tech wins Learning Idols challenge

Sibahle Malinga
By Sibahle Malinga, ITWeb senior news journalist.
Johannesburg, 19 Sept 2018
ArcelorMittal SA is piloting the VR powered fear of heights training programme at its Vanderbijlpark plant in Gauteng.
ArcelorMittal SA is piloting the VR powered fear of heights training programme at its Vanderbijlpark plant in Gauteng.

Sea Monster, a Cape Town-based animation and gaming company, was named the overall winner of the Learning Idols 2018 challenge, for its fear of heights virtual reality (VR) solution targeted at the mining sector.

The Learning Idols challenge is an annual competition organised by The Networking Company. It showcases unique, locally-developed learning innovations which have the potential to change the face of learning and development in SA.

The winners were announced at the Learning Innovation Africa Conference, which took place in Johannesburg recently.

Sea Monster's fear of heights VR solution was created in collaboration with steel and mining company ArcelorMittal, to test potential mineworkers for a fear of heights as well as an employee's functionality level at heights, by having trainees complete a series of tests.

The solution combines VR headsets and an online platform to create a real working experience at a mine, monitors physiological responses and screens mining trainees for colour blindness, in a bid to measure comfortability with working at height.

"We are extremely proud to have received this award. It was really important to us to develop a program that's not only cost-effective but most importantly, saves lives," says Lebo Lekoma, head of client services at Sea Monster.

"Corporates are looking for innovative solutions to lower costs and drive business. They don't need to look internationally for partners who can design and deliver these."

Founded by co-partners Glenn Gillis and Wynand Groenewald, Sea Monster has developed many digital business applications for an array of local firms, including Old Mutual's financial education platform, Moneyversity ; PnP Super Animals VR game and the South African Reserve Bank's currency application platform.

The fear of heights VR solution concept is the first industrial roll-out of a VR solution for this specific dilemma in Africa, according to the company.

It created the solution after it found that once mining recruits had finished the three-year training programme, several newly trained employees were afraid of heights or unable to work at height. A significant percentage of people would freeze or panic, ultimately endangering themselves and others in the vicinity.

"We use the heart rate as a proxy, plus other physical observations to determine the fear response. The observational assessment is carried out by ArcelorMittal's trained occupational health and safety officers," notes Lekoma.

Tight race

This year, the competition had a number of strong entries from a variety of industries, including academic institutions, technology, pharmaceutical, telecommunications companies as well as the financial sector, according to The Networking Company.

Cell C was a close second with Axonify, a gamified micro-learning platform that enables employees to learn remotely. Cell C says its Axonify implementation has saved millions of rands in face-to-face training and has significantly increased sales.

In third place was Wits University's School of Therapeutic Sciences with its online virtual classrooms solution that uses a blended learning approach to combine technology and face-to-face learning.

While there was no winning prize, the teams were afforded an opportunity to meet with industry experts and received exposure that could unlock infinite opportunities.

"It is so inspiring to see the innovation happening within the learning and development space, and The Networking Company is incredibly proud to play a part in highlighting the amazing work that so often goes unnoticed," says Helen Nicholson, CEO of The Networking Company.

"It is only through developing each other that we can learn and thrive. After all, I believe, our mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled."

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